NY- A former Newsday publisher and education bigwig was busted yesterday on charges he collected kiddie porn on his company computer - and tried to destroy the files when the feds started investigating.
Robert Johnson, 59, downloaded two videos, including one called "Real Child Rape," in his office at Bowne & Co., a financial publishing firm where he became chief executive after leaving Newsday in 1994, authorities said.
"They are pretty ugly, pretty reprehensible and, unfortunately, they caught Mr. Johnson's interest," said Marvin Walker, acting special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
When Johnson got wind of the agency's investigation last May, he allegedly used a computer program called "Evidence Eliminator" to wipe 12,000 files off his hard drive. "The guilty conscience took over," said Walker.
A week after the feds started nosing around, Johnson abruptly retired from Bowne and resigned his longtime post on the state Board of Regents, citing unspecified "personal reasons."
The married father of two was hauled into Manhattan Federal Court yesterday to be arraigned on child porn and obstruction charges. Carrying a Bible, Johnson pleaded not guilty.
"Mr. Johnson was not involved in child pornography," defense attorney Stephen Scaring said. "He's prepared to defend himself at trial."
Johnson was freed on $500,000 bond, but a magistrate ordered him to stay away from children, undergo counseling and stay close to his homes in Huntington, L.I., and Michigan. The charges, which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, sent a shock wave through the Board of Regents, which sets educational policy.
"I feel ill," said stunned board member Merryl Tisch. "This is a personal tragedy and I hope he finds comfort in his family and faith. I'm praying for him."
The allegations stem from a 2003 probe into a Belarus company that ran credit-card billing services for 50 child-smut Web sites. More than 1,200 people who downloaded porn from those sites, including a Ringling Bros. circus clown named Spanky, have since been arrested.
